Teen Birth Rates Drop To Historic Lows

4/10/2012 11:01 AM ET

The CDC reports that in 2010 the birth rate among women aged 15-19 hit a historic low of 34.3 per 1,000.

The agency says that mark broke several records, as it is the lowest rate since record keeping begun in 1946. The historic low is also 44 percent lower than the most recent peak notched in 1991 and, it is 64 percent lower than the acme set in 1957.

"If the 1991 rates had prevailed through the years 1992-2010, there would have been an estimated 3.4 million additional births to teenagers during that period," CDC researchers Brady Hamilton, PhD, and Stephanie Ventura write in their report.

In fact, researchers added, the rate dropped a whopping 9 percent over 2009 and 2010 alone.

"This is good news because it allows girls to have the opportunity to devote time toward education and preparing for adulthood," added Hamilton.

Despite the decline, the U.S. still has the highest birth rate among teens in industrialized nations.